Collapsible boat



V. HOLMSTROM. COLLAPSIBLE BOAT.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 20, 1919.

1,359,80 1mm; Nov. 23, 1920 PATENT OFFICE.

VICTOR 'HOLMSTBOM, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

COLLAPSIBLE BOAT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 23, 1920.

Application filed Ri'ovember 20, 1919. Serial No. 839,494.

'10 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Vroron HOLMSTROM, acitizen of Finland, residin at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and itate of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCollapsible Boats, of which the following is a specification.

This inventionrelates to small boats, such as canoes and the like andone that may be collapsed and folded.

The object of the invention is to provide a boat that may readily befolded when not in use and which can be easily carried about by handfrom place to place and be storedaway in a comparatively small space. 1

A further object of the invention is to provide a boat, the bow andstern of which may be folded inward andthe sides collapsed and lockedtogether so as to completely conceal the bow and stern between thesides.

A further object of the invention is to provide a collapsible boat whichwhen in folded position will have the general appearance of a satchel,suitcase or the like.

A still further object is in the provision of means for holding thevessel rigid when in extended or open position.

Other objects and aims of the invention, more or less specific thanthose referred to above. will be in part obvious and in part pointed outin the course of the following description of the elements,combinations,

arrangements of parts and applications of principles constituting theinvention; and the scope of protection contemplated will be indicated inthe appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing which is to be taken as a part of thisspecification, and in which I have shown a merely pre ferred form ofembodiment of the invention:-

Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved boat, a portion of which appearsin section, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the same,Fig. 3 is a cross sectional elevation of the same showing itexpanded andFig. 4 is a perspective View of the same folded.

Referring to the drawing for a detailed description of the structureillustrated, to the ends of the bottom keel bars 2 and 3 two end bars, 4and 5, which form the bow and stern, are hinged by hinge 11. Betweenthese bars a canyas or waterproof covering A is secured by rivets orsuitable means. Rigidly secured to the upper edges of the center portionof the boat are longitudinal bars 1, while pivotally secured to theforward and rear portion of the bow and stern respectively at 16 arearcuate bars 15. The covering A is secured about the bars 1 while at thebow and stern portions it is simply stretched across as suggested inFigs. 1 and Hingedly secured to the opposite longitudinal sides of thekeel portion 2 by hinges 12 are a series of ribs 6, the free ends ofwhich are adapted to snugly fit beneath the longitudinal side bars 1. Tothe upper end of these ribs is secured a keeper 17 and to the free endof the bars 15 is secured a spring pressed sliding latch 17 that engageswith the keeper. Adjacent the upper end of the ribs and pivotallysecured thereto by means of screw eyes 13 or any other suitableconnection is a transversely arranged brace bar 9. The other end ofthese transverse braces is fastened to the ribs on the opposite side ofthe boat by a latch member 14. Timbers or uprights 10 are hinged attheir lower ends to the inner side of the keel by hinges 8; Theseuprights are pivoted so as to fold inward and are prevented frombackward movement by contacting with the surface of the keel. The upperend of these uprights is notched to engage with the transverse bracesand thus forms a support for said braces. Snugly fitted against theinner side of the covering and'arranged between and end of these barswill lockingly engage the v upper end of the ribs 6. The transverse barswill brace thesides of the vessel and be supported by the uprightmembers 10.

To fold the boat all that is necessary is to release the lock 17.Thereupon the top bars 15 will drop within the vessel. Then by releasingthe latch 14 which permits thetransverse members 9 to be swunglongitudinally beneath the side bars 1 and folding the upright timbers1O inwardly against the keel 2 and 3 the said bow and stern portions maybe folded inwardly, beneath the sides of the vessel. These sides maythen be folded inwardly thereby embracing. the infolded ends as clearlysuggested in Fig. 4 of the drawing, in which it will be seen that thecompacted vessel has the eneral appearance of a satchel or suitcase. inorder that the parts may be held in this collapsed position there isprovided a cooperating'lock 18, secured to theupper edge of the sides.Suitable handles as indicated at 19 are also provided for carrying thecollapsed vessel from place to lace;

I s many changes could be made in this construction without departingfrom the scope of the following claims it is intended that all mattercontained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawingshall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A boat of the class described, having a keel portion, bow and sternportions hinged to said keel, collapsible side members hinged to thekeel, transverse bars hinged at one end to the side of the vessel andadapted to embrace the opposite side thereof, hinged uprights secured tothe keel for supporting the transverse bars, and pivotally securedbracing bars within the bow and stern portions adapted to cooperate withthe upper portion of the collapsible sides for sustain-' ing saidbow'and stern 1n extended position. 2. A boat of the class described,having a keel portion, bow and stern portions hinged to said keel,collapsible sides hinged to said keel, a longitudinal bar secured to theupper edge of said collapsible sides, bracing bars having one endpivotally secured to the upper end of the bow and stern the free end ofsaid bars having locking en agement with the longitudinal bars, the owand stem arranged for folding inwardly above the keel, the sides of theboat adapted to be collapsed upon the bow and stern, means 1 for holdingthe boat locked when in collapsed position and handles secured to thelongitudinal bars for carrying the boat.

1 A boat of the class described, having a tee to said keel, collapsiblesides hinged to said ortion, bow and stern portions hinged keel, alongitudinal bar secured to the upper edge of said collapsible sides,bracing bars having one end pivotally secured to the upper end of thebow and stern, the free end of said bars having locking engagement withthe longitudinal bars, the bow and stern arranged for folding inwardlyabove the keel, the sides of the boat adapted to be collapsed upon thebow and stern and means for holding the boat in collapsed position withthe longitudinal bars abutting each other. v

4. A boat of the class described, having a keel portion, bow and sternportions hinged to said keel, collapsible sides hinged to said keel,bracing bars having one end pivotally secured to the upper end of thebow and stern, the free end of said bars having looking engagement withthe upper portion or the collapsible sides for sustaining said how andstern in extended position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signa-' ture.

VICTOR HOLMSTROM.

